Fascias and other types of body panel components are commonly used to provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance for a vehicle. These components are typically injection molded parts, and are most commonly used on the front or rear of the vehicle, and will have the appearance of a bumper and body panel formed as one component. These types of fascias are commonly used with sport-utility vehicles (SUVs), which commonly include a hatch for accessing or entering the rear of the vehicle.
The fascia, having the appearance of a bumper, includes a step portion for aiding in accessing and entering the rear of the vehicle through the hatch. Because the fascia is made of a relatively thin plastic, the step portion is not strong enough to support the weight of a person when being stepped on. Prior solutions to this problem have included the fascia being supported by an Expanded Polypropylene Particle (EPP) foam insert. This provided support of the bumper fascia step and ease of repair in the event of a rear impact. The fascia is also attached to the frame of the vehicle using the common EPP foam insert and various fasteners, such as a push-pin.
However, it is typically considered aesthetically unappealing if the fasteners which are used to attach the fascia to the foam insert are in view. Attempts have been made to attach the fascia to the foam insert in such a manner that the fasteners are no longer visible. However, this has resulted in reduced structural integrity of the foam insert and the fascia.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a step, formed as a portion of a fascia, to have support when force is applied in a vertical direction, while having the aesthetically pleasing appearance such that the fasteners are removed from view.